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Amidst one of rugby union's greatest contests, the match involving Leicester versus the visitors was heavily influenced by the emotion at half-time than the rugby on the pitch.

The legendary Martin Johnson headed a contingent comprising Leicester former players in honour of Lewis Moody, who has revealed his diagnosis with motor neurone disease.

The last time Moody wore a Leicester shirt at Welford Road, a decade and a half past, prior to joining Bath for the last two years of a storied career, the home side remained still at their very best, while their opponents found themselves enduring a long drought without the title. The landscape has shifted dramatically since then. Bath came into the match as title holders, the first time they've held that status in over two decades.

A Truly Passionate Reception on Home Turf

The Tigers, riding a powerful emotional surge, served up a classic, robust reception, embracing the role of underdogs in their own stadium, the 18,000 Midlanders further emboldened by Moody's heartfelt admission during the break that, no matter where he may live, this famous ground will always be the home of his rugby heart.

In retrospect, Bath were always up against it. Sure enough, in a last-minute assault deep in Bath territory, the Tigers won a crucial penalty from the tiring Bath defenders.

The Decisive Moment

The replacement fly-half, on for the excellent James O'Connor, the experienced Wallaby making his debut start for Leicester, darted blind, and the Bath prop caught him high, an infringement for which he saw yellow. With the last kick, Searle slotted the penalty kick on an angle to snatch a dramatic victory.

We might as well have been back in the days of Moody’s pomp. Without a doubt, the home team, who moved up the table in the mid-table bun fight, can take great encouragement that their traditional, direct approach remains effective, no matter the pedigree they face.

Contrasting Styles

The visitors were sublime with ball in hand. Therefore, Leicester, following a confusing opening period which saw them trail 17-7, adapted to starve them of possession. A deluge of penalties against the away side kept Bath under constant pressure, their pack thoroughly outplayed in the scrums and lineouts throughout the game.

The Tigers' three touchdowns were carbon copies of each other, neither scored from more than a yard; Bath's three tries were works of art. Dan Frost, Sam Underhill and Cameron Redpath were the finishers, before and after Cracknell's score for Leicester. Subsequently, on the back of those penalties, Reffell and Smith forced their way over for tries either side of half-time.

A Tense Conclusion

That earned Tigers a narrow advantage, which they held for the majority of the second period. It appeared inevitable before Bath won enough ball to grab a fourth try. In fact, their scoring opportunity came with a rare penalty in the scrum, their South Africans by then on. Finn Russell, having missed two of his three earlier attempts, successfully converted the penalty with a little less than 10 minutes to play.

This merely galvanized Leicester for one last, brutish assault, set up by the energetic Hassell-Collins down the left. Having won the penalty that earned Bath the lead where he is most comfortable, poor Du Toit conceded where he is not. The outcome was then a foregone conclusion.